CHAPTER IV

DETAILS


What Mrs. Octagon meant by her last enigmatic remark it is
impossible to say. After delivering it in her usual dramatic
manner, she swept from the room, leaving Juliet and her
step-father staring at one another. Peter was the first to
break the silence.

"Your mother appears to be very positive," said he.

"About my giving up Cuthbert?" asked Juliet sharply.

"About the crime. She hinted that she guessed who killed the
poor lady. I never knew Miss Loach myself," added Mr.
Octagon, seating himself and ruffling his scanty locks, a
habit with him when perplexed, "but you said you liked her."

"Yes, Aunt Selina was always very nice to me. She had strange
ways, and, to tell you the truth, father," Juliet always
addressed Peter thus, to his great delight, "she was not so
refined as mother--"

"Few people are so refined as my wife, my dear."

"As to mother knowing who killed her," pursued Juliet, taking
no notice of this interpolation, "it's nonsense. She said she